Opinions on the "newest" model ms261/ms261cm and the husky 550 please help!!!

[Khntr85]

Ok guys, I keep finding myself debating on buying a ms261/ms261cm or possibly a husky 550......since the new "lightweight" ms261 models have been out for awhile now, I am wondering how they have been holding up......I am selling my standard carb ms362 because I don't use it much since I got a ms461...I know I would use the 261 for about 70% of my cutting!!!!!

So I just found out a week ago that I can get the new lightweight model ms261 with the new looking clutch cover in an adjustable carb or m-tronic ....well here lies my first question, should I get the m-tronic version or the standard carb....

So to any of you guys that have the m-tronic or the standard carb in the "newest" style, please let me know your opinions good or bad.....

I have also been told not to rule out the husky 550....so to anyone that has a 550 or better yet has ran/own both the ms261 and 550, please let me know which one you prefer and why.....


Thanks a lot for any help guys!!!!!

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

I don't have the 261, but the ones we have sold have not come back with any complaints or issues. C-M or Carb,

M-tronic....you never have to tune it. Just start and go.

Carb....set from factory.....but not always right. I've had a few saws set to lean and idle to high.

Yer gonna get a billion different answers.....there is a reason my shop stopped selling husky years ago though.

 

[Johnmn]

261 carb best option

 

[Khntr85]

261 carb best option

Thanks for reply....so do you have the newest version????

 

[Khntr85]

I don't have the 261, but the ones we have sold have not come back with any complaints or issues. C-M or Carb,

M-tronic....you never have to tune it. Just start and go.

Carb....set from factory.....but not always right. I've had a few saws set to lean and idle to high.

Yer gonna get a billion different answers.....there is a reason my shop stopped selling husky years ago though.

Thanks....at first I told myself I would never own a m-tronic saw....well the more you hear about it and think about it "IF" the system works correctly, your engine WILL be running optimally all the time....my concerns were, how many years/hours will the solenoid and other electronic parts last....

If these parts do hold up to the test of time, they could very well save your saw....imagine 2000 running hours, or 15 years down the road, you get a leaky crank seal.. as I understand it, the m-tronic system could make up for the leak by running richer, until you identify the problem and fix it...

Oh and out of curiosity what is the highest hours you have seen on a ms261cm that someone has brought back in for a tune-up or whatever...

 

[dall]

the solenoid on the 261 mtronic i have was flooding the saw i have a couple spares now but from what im told they dont go bad often mine is a 15 model old version

 

[Khntr85]

the solenoid on the 261 mtronic i have was flooding the saw i have a couple spares now but from what im told they dont go bad often mine is a 15 model old version

Ok thanks a lot for that info.....so yours is not the new lightweight versio With the new looking clutch cover.....

Do you know if they have changed any thing on these solenoid to fix whatever the problem was....

 

[dall]

Ok thanks a lot for that info.....so yours is not the new lightweight versio With the new looking clutch cover.....

Do you know if they have changed any thing on these solenoid to fix whatever the problem was....

i think same solenoid for all the mtronic saws but i may be wrong @big t double

 

[big t double]

same solenoid. sometimes they just fail. the highest hours ive seen recorded on an mtronic saw was about 170. this was on a 2 year old ms261 that was used by a tree service that had the contract from the power company to clear land for power poles. these saw were run day in and day out, the hardest ive ever seen...they would come in with brush and *s-word all packed in the clutch cover. they dumped a few crankshafts

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

Thanks....at first I told myself I would never own a m-tronic saw....well the more you hear about it and think about it "IF" the system works correctly, your engine WILL be running optimally all the time....my concerns were, how many years/hours will the solenoid and other electronic parts last....

If these parts do hold up to the test of time, they could very well save your saw....imagine 2000 running hours, or 15 years down the road, you get a leaky crank seal.. as I understand it, the m-tronic system could make up for the leak by running richer, until you identify the problem and fix it...

Oh and out of curiosity what is the highest hours you have seen on a ms261cm that someone has brought back in for a tune-up or whatever...

Not sure on Hours as we don't have the computer system for testing that.
The few that have come in for service work were around 2 years old. The people that have the extra money for m-tronics saws seem to care for them better around here. SEEM. lol

 

[Johnmn]

Thanks for reply....so do you have the newest version????

No but I have ran many many tanks through the husqvarna auto tunes when I was helping a fellow logger and after that I told myself I won't own one at least not yet.

 

[Cobby08]

I'm an M-tronic fan. Id say 261C-M. Optimal tuning all the time and even if a solenoid goes its maybe $27 for a replacement. For the responsiveness of the M-tronic I am willing to pay $27 every year or so.

 

[sawmikaze]

Cuttin firewood ?

Buy a 261.

 

[PissRev]

I'm in the same boat and I have been debating each saw. Which one can you get the most out of when ported and muff modded?

 

[GCJenks204]

Where is @Joe Kidd I think he has / had both.

 

[Cobby08]

I have a fat version 261 carb'd and a 261C-M skinny version and the C-M is a lot more crisp I would say. Comes up off the idle smoother, more power, crisp, Just my .02.

 

[big t double]

you know that thing, when you say a word to many times in a row in your head then it just starts sounding funny....yea, crisp, crisp, crisp. thanks cobby08. crisp.

 

[pro94lt]

Ms241 and keep the 60cc

 

[stihl livin]

I have never ran the 550 but from what I have read the husky is faster lighter and more nimble and best suited for limbing. With the 261 you will get more grunt for the larger logs. Imho if your going to use it for 70% of your cutting the extra grunt of the 261 would be a better choice. However if you have to do a lot of brushing the 550 may be a better choice. I own a 2153 which is the jonsered version of the 346 which was replaced with the 550. As for the mtronic saws I have own and ran a 241-261-441&661 and never had an issue with any of them.

 

[dall]

I have never ran the 550 but from what I have read the husky is faster lighter and more nimble and best suited for limbing. With the 261 you will get more grunt for the larger logs. Imho if your going to use it for 70% of your cutting the extra grunt of the 261 would be a better choice. However if you have to do a lot of brushing the 550 may be a better choice. I own a 2153 which is the jonsered version of the 346 which was replaced with the 550. As for the mtronic saws I have own and ran a 241-261-441&661 and never had an issue with any of them.

lol you need to change your name and disowned from the stihl guys family here lol